Maritime Heritage News

United Nation’s International Maritime Organization Secretary-General to Keynote Maritime Heritage Conference in Singapore in March 2019

Secretary-General Kitack Lim to address more than 300 international leaders at inaugural Congress held at Resorts World Sentosa

Underscoring the importance of the inaugural World Congress on Maritime Heritage, to be held from 13 to 15 March 2019 in Singapore, the United Nation’s International Maritime Organization (IMO) Secretary-General Kitack Lim will provide a keynote address at the beginning of the Congress. Co-organised by the Consortium for International Maritime Heritage (CIMH) and Resorts World Sentosa (RWS), the Congress will address the current state of the shipping industry, examine the sector’s past influence on global trade and cultural influences as featured in the world’s maritime museums, illuminate signature undersea archeological and exploration activities, and connect these communities to provide a window into the future.

“Since man first took to the water in boats, society has depended on shipping for food, transportation, and energy,” observed Secretary-General Lim. “The oceans are our shared heritage, and it is important to connect with the past in order to see our way towards the future. This Congress will be the forum for that discussion as the ocean’s stakeholders will gather to identify how we can successfully move forward.” The Secretary-General was recently re-elected for a four-year term in office.

Further emphasizing the significance of this inaugural gathering, former IMO Secretary-General and Honorary Chairman of the CIMH, Koji Sekimizu will open the Congress. Key representatives of the shipping, heritage and underwater communities will also be participating in this first ever gathering of thought leadership across the maritime sector.

“This Congress comes at a pivotal point in the maritime world,” stated CIMH Founder and IMO Goodwill Maritime Ambassador Carleen Lyden Walker. “The maritime industry is going through the most profound change since the conversion from sail to steam. It is necessary to connect with the public through the vehicle of maritime heritage to facilitate understanding of the vital role the industry plays as the engine of global trade.”

Other topics being covered in the conference include how the ocean is a pathway to a sustainable future, cultural diversity, and governance. Additional features include “Why we must explore the past to navigate the future”, undersea commerce, tourism and maritime heritage in the global context, and regional breakout opportunities.

The Congress is being jointly organised by the Consortium for International Maritime Heritage and Resorts World Sentosa with support from the IMO, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), International Congress of Maritime Museums (ICMM), Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA), the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS), and North American Marine Environment Protection Association (NAMEPA).

RWS is also official venue host for the three-day event which will include a programme held at the revamped Maritime Experiential Museum, the only one of its kind in Singapore dedicated to the exploration of the iconic Maritime Silk Route. Housing a total of 15 immersive galleries, the attraction holds a combination of state-of-the-art visual projections and multimedia shows. Highlights include the Jewel of Muscat, an Arabian ship which made a tumultuous 138-day voyage from Oman to Singapore in 2010 using ancient navigational methods with a crew of 15, and the Typhoon Theater which simulates a sinking ship in a treacherous storm.

The Consortium is dedicated to developing and supporting maritime heritage programming that can serve as focal points for a wide array of constituent groups to share culture values and experiences that shed light on how we are interconnected by the world’s oceans. Rediscovering the past through our shared maritime heritage allows us to collectively better navigate a sustainable future.